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Mixed progress on roads damaged by fiery tanker crash

Photo by PennDOT

(Harrisburg) -- Repairs are still underway along two major highways in Dauphin County, nearly six months after a fiery tanker crash damaged them and snarled traffic.

The eastbound bridge that takes motorists along Route 22 into the city of Harrisburg is nearly rebuilt. PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny says it should be reopened to traffic in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

But he adds repairs to the ramp that takes Interstate 81 northbound traffic to Route 322 west are taking longer expected.

"In the beginning, we didn't know whether we'd have to replace the whole ramp... and we thought we could salvage it," he says. "But when the contractor got in there and started removing the deck, there were just more problems than we anticipated."

The posted detour takes motorists 10 miles out of their way as the ramp work continues. Penny says the current goal is to reopen the ramp by the end of the year.

The combined cost of the two projects is projected to be between $12 and $13 million. A mix of federal and state funds is being used to pay for the repairs.

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